Apparatus and method for processing of high meat content food or feed products

Abstract

Food or feed processing systems (10, 96) include an extruder (14) and a downstream processor (16, 16a), and are operable to process high meat food or feed formulations. The processors (16, 16a) include an elongated processor barrel (38) presenting an inner surface (44) with a central body or tube (60) within the barrel (38) and presenting an outer surface (62). The surfaces (38, 62) thereby define an elongated annular processing region (70). The barrel (38) and tube (60) are steam heated by means of apparatus (52, 66). A rotatable processing element (72) is also located within the region (70). The element (72) has a plurality of helical vanes (88, 104), which scrape the surfaces (44, 62) to prevent buildup of material on these surfaces.

We claim: 
     
       1. A food or feed processing system comprising:
 an extruder including an elongated, tubular barrel presenting an inlet for receiving food or feed material, and an outlet, with at least one elongated, axially rotatable, helically flighted screw within the barrel, said extruder operable to initially process said material and to generate a food or feed material extrudate from said outlet; 
 a processor including—
 an elongated, tubular processor barrel presenting an inner surface, a food or feed material extrudate inlet operably coupled with said extruder barrel outlet, and a product output; 
 an elongated body within said processor barrel and presenting an outer surface proximal to said inner surface, there being an annular region between said inner and outer surfaces, said food or feed material extrudate inlet and said product output being in communication with said annular region so that the food or feed material extrudate passes through the annular region; 
 a tubular, axially rotatable processing element within said annular region, said element constructed and arranged to simultaneously scrape said food or feed material extrudate from both said inner and outer surfaces upon rotation of the processing element while the food or feed material extrudate is passing through the annular region; 
 a drive assembly operably coupled with said processing element in order to rotate said processing element relative to said elongated body and to said barrel and to scrape material from said inner and outer surfaces; and 
 
 a conduit operatively connecting said extruder outlet and said extrudate inlet, 
 said processor operable to further heat and process said extrudate and create a final product from said product outlet. 
 
     
     
       2. The processing system of  claim 1 , said extruder being a twin screw extruder. 
     
     
       3. The processing system of  claim 1 , said elongated body comprising a stationary tube. 
     
     
       4. The processing system of  claim 1 , comprising heating apparatus to steam heat said extruder barrel and said elongated body. 
     
     
       5. The processing system of  claim 1 , said processing element having a plurality of helical vanes along the length thereof with helical openings between said vanes. 
     
     
       6. The processing system of  claim 1 , said drive assembly comprising separate coordinated drives operably connected to the opposed ends of said processing element. 
     
     
       7. The processing system of  claim 1 , said processing element extending beyond the end of said processor barrel whereby said final product gravitates from the processing element outboard of said processor barrel. 
     
     
       8. The processing system of  claim 1 , said processing element extending beyond the end of said processor barrel, there being a peripheral die surrounding the processing element outboard of said processor barrel, said die presenting radially extending die openings whereby said final product is forced through the die openings. 
     
     
       9. The processing system of  claim 8 , including a rotary cutting assembly operable to cut said final product forced through the die openings. 
     
     
       10. The processing system of  claim 1 , including a heat exchanger for initially heating a food or feed material, said heat exchanger operably coupled with said extruder inlet. 
     
     
       11. The processing system of  claim 1 , the radial distance between said inner and outer surfaces being from about 5-75 mm. 
     
     
       12. The processing system of  claim 1 , including heating structure operable to heat said inner and outer surfaces. 
     
     
       13. The processing system of  claim 1 , the radial distance between said inner and outer surfaces being from about 5-75 mm.